Sara DeShong-Baker Project 1: 3D Print Model, Vase

FINAL PRINT
(arrived week 7)
Here is the 3D printed vase next to a vintage vase of mine that was used for inspiration.

One concern I had was that it would not balance correctly when filled. However, I placed two steel cone wrenches in the 3D print vase and it seemed to balance ok even when both wrenches were both leaned towards the back. 

KEYSHOT RENDER
(week 4)
I rendered my vase in polished Red Oak. I think that in 3D printing something simple like this, the interest will come from the material it's printed in. Carving this by hand out of wood would be very frustrating in the small spaces inside the handle loops, as well as maintaining a consistent thin-wall all the way around. Plus, a natural material gives it a neutrality that will allow it to look nice in many settings.

SHAPEWAYS SUBMISSION / BOUNDING BOX
(week 3)
Upon initial upload, there was a small band around the middle that flagged the thin wall warning. I opted to have Shapeways do the thin wall fixes automatically, and the only flags left where tiny sections (in yellow) on the edges of the handles. I'm ok if these corner edges get rounded off in the fabrication process.
I did create several other editions of this in attempting a manual thin wall fix and came up with some edits I liked better, but I'd like to see how well the Shapeways auto-fix option works.
Estimated delivery of October 10th.

ORIGINAL (MAYA)
(weeks 1 & 2)
 I played around with some basic polygon manipulation, as I'm still a relative novice in Maya, and chose to try printing this basic vase shape. Of the other 'sketches' I did, this one made the most sense to spend money and time creating, and I kept picturing it as a metal cast piece. It has a function, seems the most balanced, and has a sturdy (seeming) base. At first, the top part of the vase was squat, but that felt too boring. I extended it upward and angled so it could support a couple flower stems. Angled vases are nice because the stems don't have as much of a tendency to flop around, as the angle keeps them faced in roughly one direction.  If it winds up being too small for cut flowers, it can be used as a water rooting pot.
    The top row of handles have a twist in them, and I'm curious to see how that prints.

INSPIRATION:
Ray Caesar was an artist recommended to me by a coworker back when I worked in the printing industry. She had proofed some cards for his show, and I was instantly smitten. The image that initially hooked me was this one, and I think a lot of the image's elements and lines come through in the weird vase I created.
The Power and The Glory, 2005 ( http://www.raycaesar.com/gallery/2005/1 )